[177Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE plus long-acting octreotide versus high­dose long-acting octreotide for the treatment of newly diagnosed, advanced grade 2-3, well-differentiated, gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (NETTER-2): an open-label, randomised, phase 3 study.

BACKGROUND: There are currently no standard first-line treatment options for patients with higher grade 2-3, well-differentiated, advanced, gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of first-line [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE (177Lu-Dotatate) treatment. METHODS: NETTER-2 was an open-label, randomised, parallel-group, superiority, phase 3 trial. We enrolled patients (aged ≥15 years) with newly diagnosed higher grade 2 (Ki67 ≥10% and ≤20%) and grade 3 (Ki67 >20% and ≤55%), somatostatin receptor-positive (in all target lesions), advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours from 45 centres across nine countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. We used interactive response technologies to randomly assign (2:1) patients to receive four cycles (cycle interval was 8 weeks ± 1 week) of intravenous 177Lu-Dotatate plus intramuscular octreotide 30 mg long-acting repeatable (LAR) then octreotide 30 mg LAR every 4 weeks (177Lu-Dotatate group) or high-dose octreotide 60 mg LAR every 4 weeks (control group), stratified by neuroendocrine tumour grade (2 vs 3) and origin (pancreas vs other). Tumour assessments were done at baseline, week 16, and week 24, and then every 12 weeks until disease progression or death. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival by blinded, independent, central radiology assessment. We did the primary analysis at 101 progression-free survival events as the final progression-free survival analysis. NETTER-2 is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03972488, and is active and not recruiting. FINDINGS: Between Jan 22, 2020, and Oct 13, 2022, we screened 261 patients, 35 (13%) of whom were excluded. We randomly assigned 226 (87%) patients (121 [54%] male and 105 [46%] female) to the 177Lu-Dotatate group (n=151 [67%]) and control group (n=75 [33%]). Median progression-free survival was 8·5 months (95% CI 7·7-13·8) in the control group and 22·8 months (19·4-not estimated) in the 177Lu-Dotatate group (stratified hazard ratio 0·276 [0·182-0·418]; p<0·0001). During the treatment period, adverse events (of any grade) occurred in 136 (93%) of 147 treated patients in the 177Lu-Dotatate group and 69 (95%) of 73 treated patients in the control group. There were no study drug-related deaths during the treatment period. INTERPRETATION: First-line 177Lu-Dotatate plus octreotide LAR significantly extended median progression-free survival (by 14 months) in patients with grade 2 or 3 advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours. 177Lu-Dotatate should be considered a new standard of care in first-line therapy in this population. FUNDING: Advanced Accelerator Applications, a Novartis Company.

A phase 3, open-label, randomized study of asciminib, a STAMP inhibitor, vs bosutinib in CML after 2 or more prior TKIs.

Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) resistant/intolerant to ≥2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are at high risk of experiencing poor outcomes because of disease biology and inadequate efficacy and/or safety of current therapies. Asciminib, a first-in-class BCR-ABL1 inhibitor Specifically Targeting the ABL Myristoyl Pocket (STAMP), has the potential to overcome resistance/intolerance to approved TKIs. In this phase 3, open-label study, patients with CML-CP previously treated with ≥2 TKIs were randomized (2:1) to receive asciminib 40 mg twice daily vs bosutinib 500 mg once daily. Randomization was stratified by major cytogenetic response (MCyR) status at baseline. The primary objective was to compare the major molecular response (MMR) rate at week 24 for asciminib vs bosutinib. A total of 233 patients were randomized to asciminib (n = 157) or bosutinib (n = 76). Median follow-up was 14.9 months. The MMR rate at week 24 was 25.5% with asciminib and 13.2% with bosutinib. The difference in MMR rate between treatment arms, after adjusting for MCyR at baseline, was 12.2% (95% confidence interval, 2.19-22.30; 2-sided P = .029). Fewer grade ≥3 adverse events (50.6% vs 60.5%) and adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation (5.8% vs 21.1%) occurred with asciminib than with bosutinib. The study showed a superior efficacy of asciminib compared with that of bosutinib, together with a favorable safety profile. These results support the use of asciminib as a new therapy in patients with CML-CP who are resistant/intolerant to ≥2 prior TKIs. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03106779.

Phase 2 study of nilotinib in pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is rare in children and accounts for ≤15% of all myeloid leukemia cases. When we initiated this study with nilotinib, imatinib was the only tyrosine kinase inhibitor indicated for pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) CML in chronic phase (CP); alternative treatment options were needed, particularly for patients who developed resistance or intolerance (R/I) to imatinib. This phase 2 study enrolled pediatric patients with either Ph+ CML-CP R/I to imatinib or dasatinib or newly diagnosed Ph+ CML-CP. Data presented are from analyses with minimum follow-up of up to 24 cycles (1 cycle is 28 days). Fifty-nine patients with Ph+ CML-CP were enrolled, and 58 were treated (R/I, n = 33; newly diagnosed, n = 25). Major molecular response (MMR) rate at cycle 6 in the R/I cohort was 39.4% (primary end point); 57.6% of patients achieved or maintained MMR and 81.8% achieved or maintained complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) by 24 cycles. In patients with newly diagnosed disease, rates of MMR by cycle 12 and CCyR at cycle 12 were 64.0% each (primary end points); by cycle 24, cumulative MMR and CCyR rates were 68.0% and 84.0%, respectively. The safety profile of nilotinib in pediatric patients was generally comparable with the known safety profile in adults, although cardiovascular events were not observed in this study, and hepatic laboratory abnormalities were more frequent; no new safety signals were identified. In summary, nilotinib demonstrated efficacy and a manageable safety profile in pediatric patients with Ph+ CML-CP. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01844765.

Estimand framework: Are we asking the right questions? A case study in the solid tumor setting.

The estimand framework requires a precise definition of the clinical question of interest (the estimand) as different ways of accounting for "intercurrent" events post randomization may result in different scientific questions. The initiation of subsequent therapy is common in oncology clinical trials and is considered an intercurrent event if the start of such therapy occurs prior to a recurrence or progression event. Three possible ways to account for this intercurrent event in the analysis are to censor at initiation, consider recurrence or progression events (including death) that occur before and after the initiation of subsequent therapy, or consider the start of subsequent therapy as an event in and of itself. The new estimand framework clarifies that these analyses address different questions ("does the drug delay recurrence if no patient had received subsequent therapy?" vs "does the drug delay recurrence with or without subsequent therapy?" vs "does the drug delay recurrence or start of subsequent therapy?"). The framework facilitates discussions during clinical trial planning and design to ensure alignment between the key question of interest, the analysis, and interpretation. This article is a result of a cross-industry collaboration to connect the International Council for Harmonisation E9 addendum concepts to applications. Data from previously reported randomized phase 3 studies in the renal cell carcinoma setting are used to consider common intercurrent events in solid tumor studies, and to illustrate different scientific questions and the consequences of the estimand choice for study design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

Imatinib in combination with phosphoinositol kinase inhibitor buparlisib in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumour who failed prior therapy with imatinib and sunitinib: a Phase 1b, multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) develop resistance to imatinib and sunitinib, the standard of care for these patients. This study evaluated the combination of buparlisib, an oral phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, with imatinib in patients with advanced GIST, who have failed prior therapy with imatinib and sunitinib. METHODS: This Phase 1b, multicentre, open-label study aimed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and/or a recommended Phase 2 dose of buparlisib in combination with 400 mg of imatinib through a dose-escalation part and a dose-expansion part, and also evaluated the clinical profile of the combination. RESULTS: Sixty patients were enrolled, including 25 in the dose-escalation part and 35 in the dose-expansion part. In the combination, MTD of buparlisib was established as 80 mg. No partial or complete responses were observed. The estimated median progression-free survival was 3.5 months in the expansion phase. Overall, 98.3% of patients had treatment-related adverse events (AEs), including 45% with grade 3 or 4 AEs. CONCLUSIONS: Buparlisib in combination with imatinib provided no additional benefit compared with currently available therapies. Due to the lack of objective responses, further development of this combination was not pursued for third-line/fourth-line advanced/metastatic GIST. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01468688.

Buparlisib and paclitaxel in patients with platinum-pretreated recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (BERIL-1): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway activation in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck contributes to treatment resistance and disease progression. Buparlisib, a pan-PI3K inhibitor, has shown preclinical antitumour activity and objective responses in patients with epithelial malignancies. We assessed whether the addition of buparlisib to paclitaxel improves clinical outcomes compared with paclitaxel and placebo in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 study (BERIL-1), we recruited patients aged 18 years and older with histologically or cytologically confirmed recurrent and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck after disease progression on or after one previous platinum-based chemotherapy regimen in the metastatic setting. Eligible patients were enrolled from 58 centres across 18 countries and randomly assigned (1:1) to receive second-line oral buparlisib (100 mg once daily) or placebo, plus intravenous paclitaxel (80 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, 15, and 22) in 28 day treatment cycles. Randomisation was done via a central patient screening and randomisation system with an interactive (voice and web) response system and stratification by number of previous lines of therapy in the recurrent and metastatic setting and study site. Patients and investigators (including local radiologists) were masked to treatment assignment from randomisation until the final overall survival analysis. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival by local investigator assessment per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (version 1.1) in all randomly assigned patients. Efficacy analyses were done on the intention-to-treat population, whereas safety was analysed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug and had at least one post-baseline safety assessment according to the treatment they received. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01852292, and is ongoing but no longer enrolling patients. FINDINGS: Between Nov 5, 2013, and May 5, 2015, 158 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either buparlisib plus paclitaxel (n=79) or placebo plus paclitaxel (n=79). Median progression-free survival was 4·6 months (95% CI 3·5-5·3) in the buparlisib group and 3·5 months (2·2-3·7) in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·65 [95% CI 0·45-0·95], nominal one-sided p=0·011). Grade 3-4 adverse events were reported in 62 (82%) of 76 patients in the buparlisib group and 56 (72%) of 78 patients in the placebo group. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events (occurring in ≥10% of patients in the buparlisib group vs the placebo group) were hyperglycaemia (17 [22%] of 76 vs two [3%] of 78), anaemia (14 [18%] vs nine [12%]), neutropenia (13 [17%] vs four [5%]), and fatigue (six [8%] vs eight [10%]). Serious adverse events (regardless of relation to study treatment) were reported for 43 (57%) of 76 patients in the buparlisib group and 37 (47%) of 78 in the placebo group. On-treatment deaths occurred in 15 (20%) of 76 patients in the buparlisib group and 17 (22%) of 78 patients in the placebo group; most were caused by disease progression and none were judged to be related to study treatment. INTERPRETATION: On the basis of the improved clinical efficacy with a manageable safety profile, the results of this randomised phase 2 study suggest that buparlisib in combination with paclitaxel could be an effective second-line treatment for patients with platinum-pretreated recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Further phase 3 studies are warranted to confirm this phase 2 finding. FUNDING: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

Pharmacokinetics of Asciminib When Taken With Imatinib or With Food.

Asciminib, a first-in-class, Specifically Targeting the Abelson kinase Myristoyl Pocket (STAMP) inhibitor with the potential to overcome resistance to adenosine triphosphate-competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors, is being investigated in leukemia as monotherapy and in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors including imatinib. This phase 1 study in healthy volunteers assessed the pharmacokinetics of asciminib (40 mg single dose) under 2 conditions: when taken with imatinib (steady state; 400 mg once daily) and a low-fat meal (according to imatinib prescription information), or when taken as single-agent under different food conditions. Asciminib plus imatinib with a low-fat meal increased asciminib area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to infinity and maximum plasma concentration (geometric mean ratios [90% confidence interval], 2.08 [1.93-2.24] and 1.59 [1.45-1.75], respectively) compared with asciminib alone under the same food conditions. Asciminib plus food decreased asciminib area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to infinity compared with asciminib taken under fasted conditions (geometric mean ratios: low-fat meal, 0.7 [0.631-0.776]; high-fat meal, 0.377 [0.341-0.417]). Asciminib plus imatinib was well tolerated with no new safety signals. Overall, coadministration of asciminib with imatinib and a low-fat meal results in a moderate increase in asciminib exposure compared with asciminib alone under the same food condition. Food itself decreases asciminib exposure, indicating that single-agent asciminib should be administered in the fasted state to prevent potential suboptimal exposures.

Pharmacokinetics of Asciminib in Individuals With Hepatic or Renal Impairment.

Asciminib is an investigational, first-in-class, specifically targeting the ABL myristoyl pocket (STAMP) inhibitor of BCR-ABL1 with a new mechanism of action compared with approved ATP-competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This report describes the findings from 2 phase 1 studies assessing the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of a single dose of asciminib (40 mg) in individuals with impaired renal function (based on absolute glomerular filtration rate; NCT03605277) or impaired hepatic function (based on Child-Pugh classification; NCT02857868). Individuals with severe renal impairment exhibited 49%-56% higher exposure (area under the curve [AUC]), with similar maximum plasma concentration (Cmax ), than matched healthy controls. Based on these findings, as per the protocol, the PK of asciminib in individuals with mild or moderate renal impairment was not assessed. In individuals with mild and severe hepatic impairment, asciminib AUC was 21%-22% and 55%-66% higher, respectively, and Cmax was 26% and 29% higher, respectively, compared with individuals with normal hepatic function. Individuals with moderate hepatic impairment had similar asciminib AUC and Cmax than matched healthy controls. The increase in asciminib AUC and Cmax in the mild hepatic impairment cohort was mainly driven by 1 participant with particularly high exposure. Asciminib was generally well tolerated, and the safety data were consistent with its known safety profile. In summary, these findings indicate that renal or hepatic impairment has no clinically meaningful effect on the exposure or safety profile of asciminib, and support its use in patients with varying degrees of renal or hepatic dysfunction.

A Phase I/II Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Pazopanib and Pembrolizumab Combination Therapy in Patients with Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed whether antiangiogenic treatment may potentiate immune checkpoint blockade in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was an open-label, two-part, multicenter study involving treatment-naïve patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Part 1 consisted of a phase I dose escalation and expansion of pazopanib plus pembrolizumab (combination therapy). Cohorts A and B received pazopanib in combination with pembrolizumab, whereas Cohort C received pazopanib monotherapy for 9 weeks before receiving the combination therapy. Part 2 was planned as a randomized three-arm study but was not conducted. RESULTS: Overall, 42 patients were enrolled (10 each in Cohorts A and B, 22 in Cohort C). The maximum tolerated dose was not reached and the recommended phase II dose was not declared, as Cohort C was closed early because of safety concerns. The overall response rates were 60% and 20% in Cohorts A and B, respectively. In Cohort C, the overall response rates were 33%, 25%, and 0% in the combination therapy, pembrolizumab monotherapy, and pazopanib monotherapy groups, respectively. The median progression-free survival rates were 21.95 months and 41.40 months in Cohorts A and B, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs) were observed in 90% of patients in Cohorts A and B. In Cohort C, the frequencies of grade 3 or 4 AEs, serious adverse events, and AEs leading to dose reduction were typically high in the combination therapy group. CONCLUSIONS: Despite preliminary signs of efficacy, significant hepatotoxicity was observed in Cohorts A and B. The sequential schedule of pazopanib followed by pazopanib plus pembrolizumab showed reduced hepatotoxicity; however, other safety issues emerged with this approach.

A phase 2 study of nilotinib in pediatric patients with CML: long-term update on growth retardation and safety.

The phase 2, open-label study (DIALOG) of nilotinib in pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) met its coprimary end points, showing sustained nilotinib efficacy in patients with newly diagnosed (ND) or imatinib/dasatinib resistant/intolerant (R/I) CML. This update assessed growth and safety profiles in patients who had completed ≥48, 28-day treatment cycles of nilotinib 230 mg/m2 twice daily, or previously discontinued the study. Height was assessed regularly and reported using standard deviation scores (SDSs) based on World Health Organization growth charts. All data were summarized descriptively (cutoff, 6 March 2019). Overall, 33 patients in the R/I cohort and 25 patients in the ND cohort received nilotinib. Each cohort showed a negative slope in height SDS over the course of the study, indicating attenuated growth rates during nilotinib treatment: overall median change from baseline in height SDS after 48 cycles was -0.54 SDS (range, - 1.6 to 0.4) and -0.91 SDS (-1.4 to -0.1) in R/I and ND cohorts, respectively. Patients in the R/I cohort were shorter at baseline than those in the ND cohort, and remained so throughout the study. The most common all-cause adverse events were increased blood bilirubin (53.4%), headache (46.6%), pyrexia (37.9%), and increased alanine transferase (36.2%). Apart from the impact on growth, the safety profile of nilotinib was generally consistent with previous reports. This study was registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov at #NCT01844765.

Treatment-free remission following frontline nilotinib in patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia: 5-year update of the ENESTfreedom trial.

The ENESTfreedom trial assessed the feasibility of treatment-free remission (TFR) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) following frontline nilotinib treatment. Results for long-term outcomes after a 5-year follow-up are presented herein. Patients who had received ≥2 years of frontline nilotinib therapy and achieved MR4.5 underwent a 1-year nilotinib treatment consolidation phase before attempting TFR. At the 5-year data cut-off, 81/190 patients entering the TFR phase (42.6%) were still in TFR, with 76 (40.0%) in MR4.5. Patients who lost major molecular response (MMR) entered a treatment re-initiation phase; 90/91 patients entering this phase (98.9%) regained MMR and 84/91 patients (92.3%) regained MR4.5. The Kaplan-Meier estimated treatment-free survival rate at 5 years was 48.2%. No disease progression or CML-related deaths were reported. Whereas the incidence of adverse events (AEs) declined from 96 weeks following the start of TFR, an increase in AE frequency was observed for patients in the treatment re-initiation phase. Low Sokal risk score, BCR-ABL1IS levels at 48 weeks of TFR and stable MR4.5 response for the first year of TFR were associated with higher TFR rates. Overall, these results support the efficacy and safety of attempting TFR following upfront nilotinib therapy of >3 years in patients with CML-CP.

Adjuvant Pazopanib Versus Placebo After Nephrectomy in Patients With Localized or Locally Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: Final Overall Survival Analysis of the Phase 3 PROTECT Trial.

Most studies indicate no benefit of adjuvant therapy with VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). PROTECT (NCT01235962) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study to evaluate adjuvant pazopanib in patients with locally advanced RCC at high risk of relapse after nephrectomy (pazopanib, n = 769; placebo, n = 769). The results of the primary analysis showed no difference in disease-free survival between pazopanib 600 mg and placebo. Here we report the final overall survival (OS) analysis (median follow-up: pazopanib, 76 mo, interquartile range [IQR] 66-84; placebo, 77 mo, IQR 69-85). There was no significant difference in OS between the pazopanib and placebo arms (hazard ratio 1.0, 95% confidence interval 0.80-1.26; nominal p > 0.9). OS was worse for patients with T4 disease compared to those with less advanced disease and was better for patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 compared to those with lower BMI. OS was significantly better for patients who remained diseasefree at 2 yr after treatment compared with those who relapsed within 2 yr. These findings are consistent with the primary outcomes from PROTECT, indicating that adjuvant pazopanib does not confer a benefit in terms of OS for patients following resection of locally advanced RCC. PATIENT SUMMARY: In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 PROTECT study, overall survival was similar for patients with locally advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) at high risk of relapse after nephrectomy who received adjuvant therapy with pazopanib or placebo. Pazopanib is not recommended as adjuvant therapy following resection of locally advanced RCC. This trial is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01235962.

Long-term outcomes with frontline nilotinib versus imatinib in newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase: ENESTnd 10-year analysis.

In the ENESTnd study, with ≥10 years follow-up in patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase, nilotinib demonstrated higher cumulative molecular response rates, lower rates of disease progression and CML-related death, and increased eligibility for treatment-free remission (TFR). Cumulative 10-year rates of MMR and MR4.5 were higher with nilotinib (300 mg twice daily [BID], 77.7% and 61.0%, respectively; 400 mg BID, 79.7% and 61.2%, respectively) than with imatinib (400 mg once daily [QD], 62.5% and 39.2%, respectively). Cumulative rates of TFR eligibility at 10 years were higher with nilotinib (300 mg BID, 48.6%; 400 mg BID, 47.3%) vs imatinib (29.7%). Estimated 10-year overall survival rates in nilotinib and imatinib arms were 87.6%, 90.3%, and 88.3%, respectively. Overall frequency of adverse events was similar with nilotinib and imatinib. By 10 years, higher cumulative rates of cardiovascular events were reported with nilotinib (300 mg BID, 16.5%; 400 mg BID, 23.5%) vs imatinib (3.6%), including in Framingham low-risk patients. Overall efficacy and safety results support the use of nilotinib 300 mg BID as frontline therapy for optimal long-term outcomes, especially in patients aiming for TFR. The benefit-risk profile in context of individual treatment goals should be carefully assessed.

Pazopanib Exposure Relationship with Clinical Efficacy and Safety in the Adjuvant Treatment of Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: PROTECT, a phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled study, evaluated pazopanib efficacy and safety in the adjuvant renal cell carcinoma setting. The relationship between pazopanib exposure (Ctrough) and efficacy and safety was evaluated.Patients and Methods: Evaluable steady-state blood trough concentrations were collected from 311 patients at week 3 or 5 (early Ctrough) and 250 patients at week 16 or 20 (late Ctrough). Pazopanib pharmacokinetic (PK) data were analyzed via a population model approach. Relationship between Ctrough or dose intensity and disease-free survival (DFS) was explored via Kaplan-Meier and multivariate analysis. Adverse events (AE) and AE-related treatment discontinuation proportions were summarized by Ctrough quartiles.Results: Most (>90%) patients with early or late Ctrough data started on 600 mg. Mean early and late Ctrough overlapped across dose levels. Patients with higher early Ctrough quartiles achieved longer DFS (adjusted HR, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.42-0.82; P = 0.002). Patients achieving early or late Ctrough >20.5 µg/mL had significantly longer DFS: not estimable (NE) versus 29.5 months, P = 0.006, and NE versus 29.9 months, P = 0.008, respectively. Dose intensity up to week 8 did not correlate with DFS, consistent with population PK model-based simulations showing overlapping pazopanib exposure with 600 and 800 mg doses. The proportion of AE-related treatment discontinuation and grade 3/4 AEs, with the exception of hypertension, was not correlated to CtroughConclusions: In the adjuvant setting, higher pazopanib Ctrough was associated with improved DFS and did not increase treatment discontinuations or grade 3/4 AEs, with the exception of hypertension. Clin Cancer Res; 24(13); 3005-13. ©2018 AACRSee related commentary by Rini, p. 2979.

Randomized Phase III Trial of Adjuvant Pazopanib Versus Placebo After Nephrectomy in Patients With Localized or Locally Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose This phase III trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of pazopanib versus placebo in patients with locally advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) at high risk for relapse after nephrectomy. Patients and Methods A total of 1,538 patients with resected pT2 (high grade) or ≥ pT3, including N1, clear cell RCC were randomly assigned to pazopanib or placebo for 1 year; 403 patients received a starting dose of 800 mg or placebo. To address toxicity attrition, the 800-mg starting dose was lowered to 600 mg, and the primary end point analysis was changed to disease-free survival (DFS) for pazopanib 600 mg versus placebo (n = 1,135). Primary analysis was performed after 350 DFS events in the intent-to-treat (ITT) pazopanib 600 mg group (ITT600mg), and DFS follow-up analysis was performed 12 months later. Secondary end point analyses included DFS with ITT pazopanib 800 mg (ITT800mg) and safety. Results The primary analysis results of DFS ITT600mg favored pazopanib but did not show a significant improvement over placebo (hazard ratio [HR], 0.86; 95% CI, 0.70 to 1.06; P = .165). The secondary analysis of DFS in ITT800mg (n = 403) yielded an HR of 0.69 (95% CI, 0.51 to 0.94). Follow-up analysis in ITT600mg yielded an HR of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.77 to 1.14). Increased ALT and AST were common adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation in the pazopanib 600 mg (ALT, 16%; AST, 5%) and 800 mg (ALT, 18%; AST, 7%) groups. Conclusion The results of the primary DFS analysis of pazopanib 600 mg showed no benefit over placebo in the adjuvant setting.

PI3K inhibitors as new cancer therapeutics: implications for clinical trial design.

The PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway is frequently activated in cancer. PI3K inhibitors, including the pan-PI3K inhibitor buparlisib (BKM120) and the PI3Kα-selective inhibitor alpelisib (BYL719), currently in clinical development by Novartis Oncology, may therefore be effective as anticancer agents. Early clinical studies with PI3K inhibitors have demonstrated preliminary antitumor activity and acceptable safety profiles. However, a number of unanswered questions regarding PI3K inhibition in cancer remain, including: what is the best approach for different tumor types, and which biomarkers will accurately identify the patient populations most likely to benefit from specific PI3K inhibitors? This review summarizes the strategies being employed by Novartis Oncology to help maximize the benefits of clinical studies with buparlisib and alpelisib, including stratification according to PI3K pathway activation status, selective enrollment/target enrichment (where patients with PI3K pathway-activated tumors are specifically recruited), nonselective enrollment with mandatory tissue collection, and enrollment of patients who have progressed on previous targeted agents, such as mTOR inhibitors or endocrine therapy. An overview of Novartis-sponsored and Novartis-supported trials that are utilizing these approaches in a range of cancer types, including breast cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, lymphoma, and glioblastoma multiforme, is also described.

A Phase II Study of BEZ235 in Patients with Everolimus-resistant, Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumours.

BACKGROUND: This was a two-stage, phase II trial of the dual phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor BEZ235 in patients with everolimus-resistant pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pNETs) (NCT01658436). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In stage 1, 11 patients received 400 mg BEZ235 orally twice daily (bid). Due to tolerability concerns, a further 20 patients received BEZ235 300 mg bid. Stage 2 would be triggered by a 16-week progression-free survival (PFS) rate of ≥60% in stage 1. RESULTS: As of 30 June, 2014, 29/31 patients had discontinued treatment. Treatment-related grade 3/4 adverse events were reported in eight (72.7%) patients at 400 mg and eight (40.0%) patients at 300 mg, including hyperglycaemia, diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting. The estimated 16-week PFS rate was 51.6% (90% confidence interval=35.7-67.3%). CONCLUSION: BEZ235 was poorly tolerated by patients with everolimus-resistant pNETs at 400 and 300 mg bid doses. Although evidence of disease stability was observed, the study did not proceed to stage 2.

Safety and Efficacy of Buparlisib (BKM120) in Patients with PI3K Pathway-Activated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Results from the Phase II BASALT-1 Study.

INTRODUCTION: The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway promotes tumor growth and treatment resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of the open-label, two-stage, Phase II study BASALT-1 (NCT01820325) was to investigate the pan-PI3K inhibitor buparlisib (BKM120) in patients with PI3K pathway-activated, relapsed NSCLC. METHODS: After prescreening for PI3K pathway activation, patients with PI3K pathway-activated, metastatic, squamous or nonsquamous NSCLC, who had relapsed after prior systemic antineoplastic therapy, were enrolled. In Stage 1, patients received single-agent buparlisib (100 mg/day). A futility analysis was performed independently in each histology group, based on the 12-week progression-free survival rate for the first 30 patients treated in each group being less than 50%. Exploratory biomarker analyses were performed in archival tissue samples and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). RESULTS: Of 1242 prescreened patients, 13.5% exhibited PI3K pathway activation. As of June 5, 2014, 63 patients (30 squamous and 33 nonsquamous) were treated in Stage 1. The 12-week progression-free survival rates were 23.3% (95% confidence interval: 9.9-42.3) and 20.0% (95% confidence interval: 7.7-38.6) in the squamous and nonsquamous groups, respectively. Stage 2 was therefore not initiated in either group. PI3K pathway mutations in ctDNA were more concordant with metastatic tissue than with primary biopsies. CONCLUSIONS: Despite preselecting patients for targeted treatment, BASALT-1 did not meet its primary objective during Stage 1. PI3K pathway activation can be detected using ctDNA, but may not be the main oncogenic driver in NSCLC. Combinations of PI3K inhibitors with other agents may demonstrate greater efficacy than monotherapy.